Harold and Millie Mendelson believe their six-bedroom home, nestled on 6 acres of bucolic land, complete with swimming pool and guest cottage, is no longer habitable.
The problem began in the early ’90s, Millie Mendelson said.

“I was in the swimming pool and started feeling this buzzing sensation on my body,” Mendelson said. “At first I thought it was the chlorine, but then I got knocked back by the voltage. My heart was racing, and I got out of that pool so quick.”

The stray voltage, often called “dirty electricity,” was also causing trouble for the Mendelsons’ pets, the couple said. Their horses were behaving oddly, they said, kicking wildly – breaking Hal Mendelson’s leg and his daughter’s clavicle. One horse developed a tumor. Their dog chewed its legs incessantly until the vet had to put it down, and all their cats ran away.

The Mendelsons want NYSEG to buy their land for $2.3 million, the amount they are seeking in the lawsuit, so they can find a permanent new home. The lawsuit also calls for punitive damages, which they’re leaving for the court to determine.

NYSEG officials wouldn’t comment on the issue because it is in litigation.